4 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GENETIC MANIPULATION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The genetic manipulation has many advantages, but also disadvantages. This new technology, also called genetic engineering, consists of the artificial manipulation, modification and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of organisms.

For example, a genetically modified organism can produce a useful substance, or be able to carry out a new function.

During the procedure, certain enzymes are used that can cut pieces of DNA from an organism.

These fragments are inserted into a space in the DNA of another organism. This means that the new organism with the inserted genes will have the genetic information for one or more new characteristics.

2 Advantages of genetic manipulation

In 1953, scientists discovered how the genetic system works. Since then they have learned to modify the composition of genes and thereby change the basic features of an organism.

By extracting genes from cells and adding them to other cells, you have the ability to create properties that have never been seen before.

Today, this technique offers the possibility of improving many different aspects of life.

Improvements in food production

Genetic modifications offer many benefits to food production. These include an increase in your production and yield.

In addition, they have managed to improve the taste and nutritional value of food products. Another advantage of genetic manipulation is the reduction of losses caused by various biotic and abiotic stresses, including fungal and bacterial pathogens.

Production of recombinant proteins

An important benefit of genetic engineering is related to the production of proteins. Thanks to recombinant DNA, bacteria can be used to produce proteins of medical importance.

One of them is genetically modified human insulin. This solved the problem of pig insulin intolerance, and has the additional advantage that extraction is less expensive.

Similarly, interferon, an antiviral agent that is secreted by cells that are attacked by the virus, is already available.

A final example is growth hormone which may prove useful in treating bone fractures, skin burns and bleeding ulcers from the digestive tract.

2 Disadvantages of genetic manipulation

Genetic manipulation is a radical technology. When genes from different unrelated species are combined, their genetic codes are permanently altered.

These new organisms will pass the genetic changes to their descendants through heredity. With this, human beings are becoming the architects of life.

Thus, genetic engineering raises well-founded ethical and social concerns. It also poses serious challenges to the environment, human health, animal welfare and the future of agriculture, among others.

Potential harm to health

One of the disadvantages of this type of technology is the risk it could pose to people's health.

In this sense, research on the effects of specific genes has been limited and strictly controlled by the industry.

Furthermore, there is no rigorous approval process for genetically modified products.

And without effective regulation, there are no guarantees that some of them can be harmful. The threat of an unwanted trait being transferred to the target plant will always be present.

Environmental impact

Genetically modified crops could cause environmental problems. These could become invasive or toxic agents for wildlife and cause great havoc.

Until now, the most damaging impact of genetic modification has been the phenomenon of resistance to pesticides.

Millions of acres of farmland have become resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. Overuse of a trait designed to tolerate the herbicide has promoted accelerated development of resistance in several weed species.

References

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4. National Research Council (US) (2004). Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods: Approaches to Assessing Unintended Health Effects. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).
5. Benefits of Genetic Engineering. (s / f). In Chemistry learning. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from chemistrylearning.com.
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